Afternoon Drive with Xolani Gwala

Chairman of the National Planning Commission and former UKZN Vice Chancellor, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, says South Africa needs leadership that will engage students rather than seeing them as a problem.

Makgoba rubbished the quality of leadership‚ describing university councils as worse than the contentious South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board during his presentation at the fees commission debate yesterday.

He says the current protests for free decolonised education in South African universities is avoidable if university and national leadership intervenes.

If I was to ask you, do you know what is the plan that has been devised by the university leadership about higher education in our country that is suppose to lead transformation.

— Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, Chairman of the National Planning Commission

We do not have such a plan. And that plan cannot come anywhere other than vice chancellors. Students are beginning to outsmart vice chancellors.

— Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, Chairman of the National Planning Commission